1.

Solving Linear Equations - Formulas

Objective: Solve linear formulas for a given variable.

Solving formulas is much like solving general linear equations. The only difference
is we will have several varaibles in the problem and we will be attempting to solve
for one specific variable. For example, we may have a formula such as A = πr 2 +
πrs (formula for surface area of a right circular cone) and we may be interested in
solving for the varaible s. This means we want to isolate the s so the equation has
s on one side, and everything else on the other. So a solution might look like s =
A − πr 2
πs
. This second equation gives the same information as the first, they are
algebraically equivalent, however, one is solved for the area, while the other is
solved for s (slant height of the cone). In this section we will discuss how we can
move from the first equation to the second.

When solving formulas for a variable we need to focus on the one varaible we are
trying to solve for, all the others are treated just like numbers. This is shown in
the following example. Two parallel problems are shown, the first is a normal one-
step equation, the second is a formula that we are solving for x

Example 1.

3x = 12 wx = z In both problems, x is multiplied by something

3 3 w w To isolate the x we divide by 3 or w.
z
x=4 x= Our Solution
w

We use the same process to solve 3x = 12 for x as we use to solve w x = z for x.

Because we are solving for x we treat all the other variables the same way we
would treat numbers. Thus, to get rid of the multiplication we divided by w. This
same idea is seen in the following example.

Example 2.

m + n = p for n Solving for n, treat all other variables like numbers

−m −m Subtract m from both sides
n= p−m Our Solution

As p and m are not like terms, they cannot be combined. For this reason we leave
the expression as p − m. This same one-step process can be used with grouping
symbols.

1
Example 3.

a(x − y) = b for a Solving for a, treat (x − y) like a number

(x − y) (x − y) Divide both sides by (x − y)

b
a= Our Solution
x−y

Because (x − y) is in parenthesis, if we are not searching for what is inside the

parenthesis, we can keep them together as a group and divide by that group.
However, if we are searching for what is inside the parenthesis, we will have to
break up the parenthesis by distributing. The following example is the same for-
mula, but this time we will solve for x.

Example 4.

a(x − y) = b for x Solving for x, we need to distribute to clear parenthesis

ax − ay = b This is a two − step equation, ay is subtracted from our x term
+ ay + ay Add ay to both sides
ax = b + ay The x is multipied by a
a a Divide both sides by a
b + ay
x= Our Solution
a

Be very careful as we isolate x that we do not try and cancel the a on top and
bottom of the fraction. This is not allowed if there is any adding or subtracting in
the fraction. There is no reducing possible in this problem, so our final reduced
b + ay
answer remains x = a . The next example is another two-step problem

Example 5.

y = mx + b for m Solving for m, focus on addition first

−b −b Subtract b from both sides
y − b = mx m is multipied by x.
x x Divide both sides by x
y −b
=m Our Solution
x

It is important to note that we know we are done with the problem when the
variable we are solving for is isolated or alone on one side of the equation and it
does not appear anywhere on the other side of the equation.
The next example is also a two-step equation, it is the problem we started with at
the beginning of the lesson.

2
Example 6.

A = πr 2 + πrs for s Solving for s, focus on what is added to the term with s
− πr 2 − πr 2 Subtract πr2 from both sides
A − πr 2 = πrs s is multipied by πr
πr πr Divide both sides by πr
2
A − πr
=s Our Solution
πr
Again, we cannot reduce the πr in the numerator and denominator because of the
subtraction in the problem.
Formulas often have fractions in them and can be solved in much the same way
we solved with fractions before. First identify the LCD and then multiply each
term by the LCD. After we reduce there will be no more fractions in the problem
so we can solve like any general equation from there.

Example 7.
2m
h= for m To clear the fraction we use LCD = n
n

(n)2m
(n)h = Multiply each term by n
n

nh = 2m Reduce n with denominators

2 2 Divide both sides by 2
nh
=m Our Solution
2
The same pattern can be seen when we have several fractions in our problem.

Example 8.
a c
+ = e for a To clear the fraction we use LCD = b
b b
(b)a (b)c
+ = e (b) Multiply each term by b
b b
a + c = eb Reduce b with denominators
−c −c Subtract c from both sides
a = eb − c Our Solution

Depending on the context of the problem we may find a formula that uses the
same letter, one capital, one lowercase. These represent different values and we
must be careful not to combine a capital variable with a lower case variable.

Example 9.
A
a= for b Use LCD (2 − b) as a group
2−b

3
 (2 − b)A
(2 − b)a = Multiply each term by (2 − b)
2−b

(2 − b)a = A reduce (2 − b) with denominator

2a − ab = A Distribute through parenthesis
− 2a − 2a Subtract 2a from both sides
− ab = A − 2a The b is multipied by − a
−a −a Divide both sides by − a
A − 2a
b= Our Solution
−a
Notice the A and a were not combined as like terms. This is because a formula
will often use a capital letter and lower case letter to represent different variables.
Often with formulas there is more than one way to solve for a variable. The next
example solves the same problem in a slightly different manner. After clearing the
denominator, we divide by a to move it to the other side, rather than distributing.

Example 10.
A
a= for b Use LCD = (2 − b) as a group
2−b

(2 − b)A
(2 − b)a = Multiply each term by (2 − b)
2−b
(2 − b)a = A Reduce (2 − b) with denominator
a a Divide both sides by a
A
2−b= Focus on the positive 2
a
−2 −2 Subtract 2 from both sides
A
−b= −2 Still need to clear the negative
a
A
( − 1)( − b) = ( − 1) − 2( − 1) Multiply (or divide) each term by − 1
a
A
b=− +2 Our Solution
a
Both answers to the last two examples are correct, they are just written in a dif-
ferent form because we solved them in different ways. This is very common with
formulas, there may be more than one way to solve for a varaible, yet both are
equivalent and correct.
World View Note: The father of algebra, Persian mathematician Muhammad
ibn Musa Khwarizmi, introduced the fundamental idea of blancing by subtracting
the same term to the other side of the equation. He called this process al-jabr
which later became the world algebra.

Beginning and Intermediate Algebra by Tyler Wallace is licensed under a Creative Commons
Attribution 3.0 Unported License. (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/)

4
 1.5 Practice - Formulas
Solve each of the following equations for the indicated variable.
1) ab = c for b h
2) g = i
for h
f
3) g x = b for x 4) p =
3y
for y
q
a
5) 3x = for xb 6)
ym c
= d for y
b
7) E = mc2 for m 8) DS = ds for D
4
9) V = 3
πr3 for π 10) E =
mv2
for m
2
11) a + c = b for c
12) x − f = g for x
4y
13) c = for y rs
m+n 14) a−3
= k for r
πDn
15) V = 12
for D 16) F = k(R − L) for k
17) P = n(p − c) for n 18) S = L + 2B for L
D−d Ea − E q
19) T = L
for D 20) I = R
for Ea
21) L = Lo(1 + at) for Lo 22) ax + b = c for x
23) 2m + p = 4m + q for m 24) q = 6(L − p) for L
25)
k−m
= q for k 26) R = aT + b for T
r

27) h = vt − 16t2 for v 28) S = πrh + πr 2 for h

29) Q1 = P (Q2 − Q1) for Q2 30) L = π(r1 + r2) + 2d for r1

V1(V2 − V1)
31) R =
kA(T1 + T2)
for T1 32) P = g
for V2
d

33) ax + b = c for a 34) rt = d for r

πr 2h
35) lwh = V for w 36) V = 3
for h
1 1 c
37)
c
+ b = a for a 38) a
+b= a for b
a

39) at − bw = s for t 40) at − bw = s for w

41) ax + bx = c for a 42) x + 5y = 3 for x
43) x + 5y = 3 for y 44) 3x + 2y = 7 for x
45) 3x + 2y = 7 for y 46) 5a − 7b = 4 for a
47) 5a − 7b = 4 for b 48) 4x − 5y = 8 for x
5
49) 4x − 5y = 8 for y 50) C = 9 (F − 32) for F

Beginning and Intermediate Algebra by Tyler Wallace is licensed under a Creative Commons
Attribution 3.0 Unported License. (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/)

5
1.5

Answers - Formulas
c
1. b = a 18. L = S − 2B 35. w = ℓh
V

2. h = gi 19. D = TL + d 3v
36. h = πr2
3. x =
gb 20. Ea = IR + Eg
f c−1
L 37. a = b
pq 21. Lo =
4. y = 3
1 + at
c−1
c−b 38. b = a
5. x =
a 22. x = a
3b 5 + bw
p−q 39. t =
6. y =
cb 23. m = 2
a
dm
at − s
E 24. L =
q + 6p 40. w = b
7. m = c2
6
c − bx
ds 25. k = qr + m 41. x = x
8. D = S R−b
26. T = a
42. x = 3 − 5y
3V
9. π = 4r 3 16t2 + h 3−x
27. v = 43. y = 5
2E t
10. m = v2
s − πr 2 7 − 2y
28. h = 44. x = 3
11. c = b − a πr
Q1 + PQ1 7 − 3x
12. x = g + f 29. Q2 = 45. y = 2
P

cm + cn L − 2d − πr 2 7b + 4
13. y = 4
30. r1 = 46. a = 5
π
k(a − 3) Rd − kAT2 5a − 4
14. r = 5
31. T1 = kA
47. b = 7

12V Pg + V12 8 + 5y
15. D = πn 32. v2 = 48. x = 4
V1
F c−b 4x − 8
16. k = R − L 33. a = 49. y =
x 5
P d 9c + 160
17. n = p − c 34. r = 50. f =
t 5

Beginning and Intermediate Algebra by Tyler Wallace is licensed under a Creative Commons
Attribution 3.0 Unported License. (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/)